I'm Waiting | ✔

Chapter 2-

Chapter 2- BV

Vanessa's POV – Lunch

Carly is looking at me suspiciously right now. It's kind of creeping my out.

I get tired of it easily. "What?"

"Is there anything going on...that you never told me about?"

Yes, there is. But I can't tell her—no way. I swallow. "No, why would you think that?"

"Okay, there's obviously something going on here. Beckett was staring at you during class." Carly's foot is tapping a beat onto the pavement, waiting.

"He was?" I feel a light blush rise on my cheeks. "Do you think he has a crush on me, or something?" I'm struggling not to smile at the thought. Instead, I laugh lightly.

C is smirking at me. "Indeed, Ms. Morita," she says in her British accent.

My smile fades. "Wait, you actually think that he likes me?" My piercing brown eyes search hers frantically, hoping that it's not true.

"Yeah, V," she agrees. "He totally does. I mean, he doesn't watch me or any of the other girls in class!" Her hand reaches up to her forehead, and she pretends to faint. "Oh, Beckett."

We dissolve into a fit of giggles together. It feels good.

I feel someone's gaze on me. Beckett. It's time for a test. I smile at him, and he...blinks back at me. I turn back to Carly. "See!" I exclaim, throwing my hands up into the air. "He doesn't like me!"

Carly is shaking her head now. "Vanessa, you know that he isn't the type to show you what he wants." Her gaze slips past me and skeptically rakes over Beckett. "He's still staring at you, you know."

I sigh. "What's your point?"

"Here," she says, grabbing the nearest guy by the arm. It happens to be Miles, the music guy we saw last year in our last performance.

"Hey, guys." Miles is quite confused, running his fingers through his hair. "What's up?"

Carly gives him her sweetest smile. "Vanessa was just wondering if..."

Uh-oh, when she smiles like that, you know you've got another thing coming.

"She was wondering if you could act like you were asking her out. She wants to see the reaction of some other guy."

Carly strikes again. I sigh. "Not really, C just wants to prove that he does like me, while I think he doesn't." I smile at him, hoping that he can see that I don't exactly want him to agree.

Miles nods, unfortunately. "Sure, I guess." He gives my best friend a pointed look. "But you're going to be the one explaining all of this to my girlfriend." He smiles at me.

I smile back at him. "What was it that you wanted to ask me?"

He steps closer. Our chests are literally almost brushing. I can feel his breath on my scalp. It's too much. I step back.

Carly's gaze isn't on us. She points behind us.

Miles takes one look, then backs away. "I think I'll just be going now."

I roll my eyes, then spin to see... "Beckett?"

"Can we talk?" He asks, his eyes not leaving mine.

"Of-of course," I say, letting him take me by the arm. When we're far away from everyone else, I ask, "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

His jaw is clenching and unclenching. His hands curl into fists, and his gaze is angry, focused on me.

Must be something serious if he's actually showing a reaction. He's so hard to read.

I tap my foot on the pavement impatiently. "I'm wait-ing."

Beckett glances at me, annoyed. "I know." He combs his hand through his dirty-blonde hair. "What were you doing with that guy?"

"Oh." My voice comes out quietly while I frantically try to grasp some believable excuse from my mind. "Um.... nothing." I bite my lip, my nervous habit.

Beckett notices. "You're biting your lip, Vanessa."

"I know," I snap, but regret it when hurt flashes across his face. "What's your point?"

"Are you...lying?"

I gulp. I hate that word. Technically, I wasn't lying...I think. "No," I squeak.

"So...you're not going to tell me what you were doing with him?"

I sidestep the question. Not lying, sidestepping. "What are you getting at?" I observe how tense he is. I take my finger and place it on his chest, our faces close. "Are you jealous, Beckett?"

He's watching me cautiously. "Maybe."

I throw my hands into the air, exasperated. "It was a yes or no question!"

"Yeah, okay?" Beckett says, taking a step back. "I like you, Vanessa. How dense you are...not to notice. I thought you knew, after last year."

Confusion clouds my eyes. "Wait, what?" He likes me. "Last year had nothing to do with this one!" I yell at him, not caring that some people are glancing at me like I'm some sort of psycho. I bite my lip, not wanting the attention.

He notices how uncomfortable I look. Apparently, Beckett can't stand it either. "What are you looking at?" He growls. Beckett Bradstreet has no shame.